DR. Albert A. Villanca, Professor V of Bukidnon State University (BukSU) and Director for Satellite Campuses, has been named one of the recipients of the 2025 Gawad Pagasa Award by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
The CSC announced the winners on September 10, recognizing eight individuals nationwide whose contributions have benefited more than one department of government, pursuant to Executive Order No. 292, s. 1987. The Gawad Pagasa is one of the highest honors under the CSC’s Honor Awards Program, aimed at celebrating exemplary public servants whose innovations and initiatives create wide-reaching impact.
Villanca was recognized for his leadership in revitalizing BukSU’s satellite campuses, which now total 16 across Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. When the university’s External Studies Centers faced closure in 2015, displacing over 5,000 learners, he spearheaded efforts to convert them into sustainable campuses beginning in 2017.
Under his leadership, BukSU secured more than P1 billion in funding support from the national government, facilitated the donation of over 224,000 square meters of land from local government units, and obtained Department of Budget and Management approval for 185 plantilla positions for teaching and non-teaching staff. He also ensured full compliance with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) standards, with all 30 curricular programs earning Certificates of Program Compliance (COPCs).
His initiatives have not only provided access to higher education for Indigenous Peoples, indigent learners, solo parents, and working students but also stimulated local economic activity in host communities.
“This recognition affirms the power of partnerships and persistence in making education more inclusive,” Dr. Villanca said. “The award is not mine alone but belongs to the students, faculty, LGUs, and communities who believed in this vision.”
For the group category of the 2025 Gawad Pagasa, three recipients were honored nationwide, including the Justice Data Lab Team of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Region 10 in Cagayan de Oro City. Together with Dr. Villanca, BJMP-10 stands as the only other awardee from Northern Mindanao.
